Come on poo!

Little Reagan is doing better today. Her X-rays show very small amounts of gas distention in her small intestine and colon, so we are at least moving in the right direction. They have started giving her small meals every four hours through the tube in her nose. She has done well so far and has not had any abdominal distention. We are hoping that she starts passing some stool soon, and to be honest I've never wanted to see excrement so bad in my entire life. Having said this, I know later in life Reagan will have a boyfriend that will Google her name and find this post and likely dump her for it, but that will make my job of "screening" appropriate suitors that much easier.

Renna has been doing well and has been off of supplemental O2 for almost 36hours. We are hoping that that continues and we will get to bring her home soon. We would hate to have to separate our little girls, but we've been told that it almost always happens that way with twins in the NICU.

I've posted just a couple of pictures (taken on the 21st of June actually) which I particularly like. I'm sure most of you have noticed that I am going through what I would like to call "The black and white phase" where I think every picture of the girls is better without color, and I also feel it gives our colorblind readers a sense of equality as well. I hope to have some new pictures, both color and monotone, up by this weekend.

Detour Back to the NICU

Okay, so just when it seemed things were going well and we might be on the road to going home...another large detour in the road. Tuesday night when the doctor saw us we mentioned that Reagan had been really fussy the last several days and her belly was getting a little bloated (even after a BM). So after an exam we got our packing orders...you got it...right back to the NICU for both girls!! After a lot of scared and sad tears we packed up and took the girls back downstairs and left the pediatric wing. It seemed like our girls were being ripped right from our arms, even though we knew that is where they needed to go. Reagan's belly continued to become increasingly distended and of course we were very scared. They took x-rays and they just showed a TON of gas all thru her GI tract. They still aren't sure what caused it but they are hoping it was a reaction to the antibiotics that she was on. So we are still praying she continues to get better. They started our poor gassy gal on IV fluids and IV antibiotics. She also has a tube down her throat and into her stomach to let some of the gas been suctioned off. The plan is to not feed her for several days and let her GI tract rest. She is markedly better today but still seems a little painful in her belly. Poor little angel, it breaks my heart to see her so uncomfortable and now hungry too! I held her for awhile tonight and she seems to be resting much better. They will continue to recheck her x-rays daily and see if the GI tract starts moving the gas thru like it should. Please pray for her little stomach because the alternatives if she doesn't get better may be a lot more testing or surgery and we really don't want that for her. On a positive note Renna is doing phenomenal. She has officially been off of her oxygen since 8AM this morning and seems to not be noticing. Her feeding has been increased to 45mls. every three hours and she is drinking her entire bottle every time like a champ. You can't imagine how proud her daddy and I are of her every time she drinks an entire bottle. You would think she just won the nobel peace prize or something. I guess Renna is going to be our good eater. I knew one day my being a picky eater would come back to haunt me because I think Reagan could care less if she ever eats! So we are praying Renna continues to do well without her oxygen. Even though it seems like we had a huge setback and took a huge detour right back to the NICU, we are so glad that they are where they need to be and getting the medical help that they needed. After many tears and prayers I have learned since yesterday to stop complaining and wishing they would come home and just be thankful when they are doing well. I know eventually we will get to bring our little ladies home, just not on my timeline. We know God has a plan for them and he is teaching us great patience thru this experience. Sorry my post wasn't quite as funny as Adam's post but we have had a very scary two days. So I am back to my traveling mommy routine again and am not going to complain about it one bit (okay at least not a lot). Every minute we get to spend with the girls is so precious! Oh! I must end with their weights. Renna now weighs 4lbs. 9oz. and Reagan has passed her older sister and now weighs 5lbs. exactly! We were shocked to find that out tonight, but Reagan does have a lot of extra weight right now so we will see if she is still five pounds in a few days.